Denture fastener



Jan. 1, 1957 R. L. CREVISON 2,775,816

DENTURE FASTENER Filed June 6, 1955 INVENTOR \/8 ,R..L.Crev-isanATTORNEY United States Patent 01 Ffice 2,775,816 Patented Jan. 1, 1957DENTURE FASTENER Robert L. Crevison, Bellefontaine, Ohio ApplicationJune 6, 1955, Serial No. 513,204

7 Claims. (Cl. 322) This invention relates to a novel fastener deviceadapted to be carried by a denture and having a portion disposed toyieldab-ly engage a part of the gum for effectively retaining thedenture properly applied to the gum.

More particularly, it is an aim of the present invention to provide adenture fastening device having an unsecured spring biased part adaptedto yieldably grip a recessed gum part for effectively retaining thedenture immovably in a properly applied position on the gum.

Another object of the invention is to provide a denture fastening devicewhich is so constructed that the denture can be easily applied to orremoved from the gum.

A further object of the invention is to provide a denture holding devicewhich is so constructed that it cannot cause injury to the gum ordiscomfort to the user yet which due to its unique construction willeifectively accomplish its intended result.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafterbecome more fully apparent from the following description of thedrawing, illustrating a presently preferred embodiment thereof, andwherein:

Figure 1 is a bottom plan view of a lower denture showing two of thedenture holding or retaining devices in applied positions therein;

Figure 2 is an enlarged cross sectional View through the denture,showing the denture in an applied position and taken substantially alonga plane as indicated by the line 22 of Figure 1; p

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal sectional view takensubstantially along a plane as indicated by the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal sectional view, takensubstantially along a'plane as indicated by the line 44 of Figure 3, and

Figure 5 is a plan view of a part of the blank, partially formed, fromwhich the denture holding device is constructed.

Referring more specifically to the drawing, for the purpose ofillustrating a preferred application and use of the denture holdingdevice, designated generally 7 and comprising the invention, a lowerdenture of substantially conventional shape has been illustrated and isdesignated generally 8. Said lower denture 8 has a relatively deepchannel 9 extending from end-to-end thereof which opens downwardly oroutwardly of the underside of said denture and in which the lower gum 10is adapted to be received. The upper side of the denture 8 is providedwith the usual false teeth, only one of which is illustrated anddesignated 11. The channel 9 divides the bottom portion of the denture 8to form an outer wall 12 and an inner wall13.

The denture 8 is preferably equipped with two holding devices 7, asillustrated in Figure 1, which are disposed in spaced apart relation toone another and which may be located at different distances from theends of the denture 8. As the holding devices 7 are identical, adescription of one will suffice for both.

Each holding device 7 includes an elongated strip 14 preferably formedof stainless spring steel having a lateral-ly flared enlargement at oneend thereof in the form of a crosshead, as seen at 15. Approximately onehalf of the strip 14, constituting the end portion disposed remote fromthe crosshead 15 is embedded in the outer wall 12 of the denture 8. Saiddenture 8 may be formed of any suitable molded material, such as aplastic, and the end portion 16 of the strip is embedded and anchored inthe wall 12 during the molding operation of said denture and extendsupwardly within the wall 12 from adjacent a portion of its bottom edge,as seen in Figure 2, to substantially the top central portion 17 of thechannel 9, at which point the strip 14 emerges from the body of thedenture 8 into the channel 9 thereof. The strip 14 is bowed intosubstantially inverted U-shape or arch shape form so that the otherexposed end portion 18 thereof, to which the crosspiece 15 is connected,extends downwardly in the channel 9 on the inner side of the inner wall13 of the denture, as seen in Figures 2 and 3. The crosspiece 15 issupported by the strip 14 in the channel 9, near its open bottom andlongitudinally thereof and on the inner side of and adjacent the innerdenture wall 13. As best illustrated in Figures 2 and 4, the ends andlongitudinal edges of the crosspiece 15 are rounded and flared as seenat 19 so as to extend toward the wall 13.

As best illustrated in Figures 2, 3 and 4, the wall 13 is provided witha longitudinally extending inwardly opening recess 20 which is disposedsomewhat above and substantially coextensive with the crosspiece 15. Alongitudinally bowed elongated strip, preferably of stainless springsteel 21, has the intermediate portion of its outer convex side suitablysecured to the side of the strip end 18 which faces toward the wall 13.Said spring 21 has a bottom edge underlying or disposed outwardly withrespect to the upper edge portion of the crosspiece 15 and an upper edgedisposed thereabove in a position to loosely fit in the recess 20, andis of a length less than the length of said recess, as seen in Figures 3and 4. The ends of the spring 21 bear against the bottom or bed of therecess 20 and have slidable engagement therewith, as will hereinafterbecome apparent.

The bottom gum 10, after removal of the natural teeth therefrom, has aridge 22 on the inner side thereof and which forms a longitudinallyextending indentation or groove in the inner side of the gum 10, beneathsaid ridge 22, as seen at 23 in Figure 2.

As the denture 8, equipped with the two holding devices 7, is displaceddownwardly within the mouth for application to the lower gum 10, it willbe readily apparent that the gum 10 will be received in the downwardlyopening denture channel 9. During the initial stage of the applicationof the denture 8 to the gum 10, the rounded bottom edge 19 of thecrosspiece of each holding device 7 will initially contact the upperportion of the inner side of the gum 10 and will be deflected ordisplaced outwardly thereby toward the wall 13 to thus stress or tensionthe strip portion 18. This outward displacement of the crosspiece 15will also cause the spring 21 to be displaced inwardly of the recess 20.As the ends of the spring 21 contact the inner wall or bed of the recess20, inward displacement of the spring into said recess will cause astraightening of the spring and a lengthening thereof, so that thespring ends by sliding contact with the inner wall of the recess 20 willslide toward the ends of said recess and the spring 21 will thus bedistorted toward a straight line position and placed under tension. Thetensioning of the strip portion 18 and spring 21, as previouslydescribed, will reach a maximum as the crosspiece 15 rides downwardlyover the ridge 22. After the crosspiece or gum gripping part 15 of thefastening device 7 clears the ridge 22, the resiliency of the strip leg18 and the tensioned'spring 21 will combine to spring bias said gumgripping portion 15 away from the inner wall 13 to cause the part 15 toseat in the groove 23 of the inner side of the; gum. 10. and..whicl1.is. located immediately beneath theridge 22; Thus, .the.two gumgrippingparts 1540f the denture. fastening-devices. 7 will effectivelyfunction to re tainthedenturefi immovably positionedjon thegum 10.

However,-.it.willalso. be. readilyapparent that an upward .pull on the.denture 8v will cause. thegrippingmembers 15. to. ride upwardly. overthe ridge 2?. and toyield toward. the.inner wall 13, as previouslydescribed, for removing; the denture. The rounded. top and bottom edgesand-ends19. of-thegripping members 15 will enable saidmembersto sliderelative. to the.- inner sideof. the gum 10lwithoutscraping. the gum .orotherwise causing discomfort. to. the user.

While the denture. retaining meanshas been illustrated anddescribed in.connection with a lower denture, it is to be. understoodthat .the usethereof .is not limited to the lower denture and that the retainingdevices are likewise capableof use with upper dentures.

Variousmodifications and changes are contemplated and may obviously beresortedto, without departing from the spirit or. scope of theinventionas hereinafter defined by the appendedclaims.

I.claim as my invention:

1. In combination with'a denture having'an outwardly opening. gumreceiving channel and including an outer wall and an inner wall betweenwhich said channel is disposed and a body portion connecting said wallsand defining the bedof. the channel; a denture retaining devicecomprising an elongated flexible strip, said strip being bowed toprovide a first leg and a second leg and an arcuate intermediate portionfrom which said legs project, said first leg being embedded and anchoredinsaid outer denture wall, saidsecondleg beingdisposedin the denturechannelon the inner side ofand adjacentthe. inner denture wall, saidsecond. leg being spring biased by the resiliency of said strip. towardthe anchored first leg and awayfrom. the, inner denture wall, and. anelongated crosspiece connected to-the distal end of said second leg anddisposed longitudinallyofisaidchannel and supported loosely therein-bysaid second leg andadapted-to yieldably bearl against a..portion of. aninner side ofv a human gum which is disposed in the denture channel foryieldably retaining the. denture appliedtothe gum.

2; In a denture. holding. deviceas in'claiml, said intermediate portionofjthe.stripbeingpartially embeddedin the bodyportion of'thedenture andpartially. exposed in the bed'portion of the channel.

3. In a denture holding deviceas inclaiml, said cross- 4. piece being ofa length substantially greater than the width of said second legandhaving longitudinal edge portions and end portions rounded and flaredtoward said inner denture wall.

4. in a denture holding device as in claim 1, an elongatedlongitudinally bowed spring strip disposed between said second leg andthe inner denture wall and having the intermediate portion ofthe convexside thereof secured to said secondleg-adjacent: the. distal end thereofand having end portions slidably bearing against said inner wall'forspring biasing the crosspiece inwardly of the channel and away from saidinnerwall.

5. In a denture holding device as in claim 4, said inner denture wallhaving anelongatedlongitudinally extending inwardly opening recessreceiving said spring strip and having a bed portion slidably engaged bythe ends thereof.

6. In combination with a denture having an outwardly opening. gum,receiving; groove. and. including anouter wall and; an .inner wall'between which said groove is disposed and a body portion connecting saidwalls and having a part defining the bed'of the groove; a dentureretaining-device comprising an elongatedjfiexible strip, said strip,being bowed'to provide. a. first leg and a-second leg and an arcuateintermediatelportion from which said legs project, saidfirst'leg-being;embedded and anchored in said 'outer denture walLsaidsecond leg being disposed in the denture groove on the inner side of andadjacent the inner. denture .wall, anelongated crosspiece connected tothe distal end of said.- second legand'disposed longitudinally of'said'groove and supported loosely therein by said second leg andadapted tobear against a portion of an inner side ofa human gumwhich is disposedin the denture groove, andan elongatedfarcuately bowed spring stripdisposed" between said second leg and the inner denture wall andcrosswise. of the second'leg, said spring strip having. the intermediateportion of its convex side secured to the second leg adjacent ,thedistal end thereof and having end portions bearing against and slidablyengaging saidinner wall" for spring biasing said crosspiece inwardly ofthe groove and away frornsaid inner wall, saidcrosspiece being yieldablyheld against a portion of the.inner wall of the gum beyond a ridge ofthe inner side ofthe gum for retainingthe denture in an applied positiononthegumt.

7. In'a denture holding device as in claim 6, said inner denture wall.having a longitudinally extendinginwardly opening recess in whichsaidspring strip is loosely received andhaving'a bed against'which theends of the spring strip slidably engage.

No references cited:

